Device for ornamentally shaping cloth



Feb. 26, 1952 Filed Dec. 19, 1949 c. G. BORCHARD 2,586,778

DEVICE FOR ORNAMENTALLY SHAPING CLOTH 2 SHEETS-SHEET l FIG-5.

INVENTOR. CHARLES G.BORCHARD A ATTORN EYL] Feb. 26, 1952 c. G. BoRcHARD DEVICE FOR ORNAMENTALLY SHAPING CLOTH 2 Sl-IEETS-Si-IEET 2 Filed Dec. 19, 1949 FIGB INVENTOR.

CHARLES G.BORCHARD ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 26, 1952 DEVICE FOR ORNAMENTALLY SHAPING CLOTH charles G. Borchafd, Detroit, Mich.

Application December 19, 1949, Serial N o. 133,887

This invention relates to the ornamental shaping of cloth and particularly to devices for irnparting to cloth a shape entailing an ornamental geometric pattern.

An object of the invention is to provide a 'more simple and inexpensive device than has been heretofore available for producing in cloth an ornamental pattern of predeterminedly shaped indentations.

Another object is to provide a grid having openings disposed in a pattern determined by desired indentations in cloth, and to provide 'a set 0i weights for individual insertion in the grid openings to indent the cloth into such openings.

Another object is to provide av grid having two dissimilar sets of openings, and to provide corresponding sets of weights for indenting a cloth into such openings, the weights of one set being materially heavier than those of the other to impart greater depth to the indentations applied by the heavier weights.

Another object is to form a grid of intersecting bars between which are openings for the reception of cloth-indenting weights, and to provide relatively small openings in the bars at their intersections, differing in shape from the iirstmentioned openings, and to provide weights for indenting the cloth also into the intersectional openings.

Another object is to employ two sets of relatively transverse intersecting bars to form a grid having rectangular openings between the bars and cross-shaped openings in the bars 'at their intersections, and to provide two sets of weights shaped and proportioned to loosely t the two sets of openings for indenting 'a sheet of cloth into such openings.

These and various other objects are attained by the construction hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one section of a grid employed in my cloth-shaping device.

Fig. 2 is an end View of such grid section.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of said section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a top and side view of one of a set of weights insertible in the square openings of the grid.

Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a top and Iside view of one of a 'ser of weights for insertion in the cross-shaped openings of the grid.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of a. sheet of cloth as indented by my improved apparatus.

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view of the indented cloth, taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

1`0 is `a Afragmentary plan View of indented cloth showing stitching to maintain the indented forni.

In these views, the reference characters I and 2 designate two transverse sets of similar bars, integrally forming a grid which is preferably metallic. Between said bars, the grid is formed with square openings 3 of substantially equal size, and the bars are apertured at their intersections to form a .set of relatively small openings 4 of equal size, each having substantially the shape of a Greek cross. The arrangement is such that the openings 4 are centered on extended diagonals of the openings 3, midway between the latter. The purpose of the grid is to impart an ornamental shape to a sheet 5 of silk or other cloth such as illustrated in Figs. 8, 9, and 10, by indenting such cloth into the openings 3 and 4. In order to operate on a cloth sheet of any desired size, any desired number of like grids may be combined, Fig. 1 showing in dash lines a portion of a second grid supplementing the grid appearing in full lines. The described grid or any desired assembly of such grids is firmly secured to a base plate or board 6, as by means of stud screws 1.

For indenting a cloth sheet into the openings 3, a set of weights 8 (Fig. 4 and 5) is provided, each such weight preferably being a metal plate of a cross form having equal and similar arms, an upstanding shank 8a being centrally and integrally carried by such plate to facilitate handling thereof. For indenting the cloth 5 into the openings 4, there is employed a set of weights 9 each of a cross form and of a depth exceeding vertical thickness of the grid. It is preferred to gradually reduce the cross-sectional area of each weight 9 from top to bottom and to form said weights at their tops with central enlargements 9a to facilitate handling and add heaviness. The Weights B and 9 are proportioned to t somewhat loosely lin their corresponding grid openings' so that they may be quickly and easily inserted, leaving ample clearance for indentations of the cloth. The weights 9 are materially heavier than the weights 8, preferably in atleast the ratio of two to one, and consequently the indentations IU (Figs. 8 and 9) applied by the weights 9 are materially deeper than those effected at Il by the weights 8. It is preferred to allow the weights 9 to depress `the cloth into contact with the base plate 5, while the depressions effected by the weights 8 are spaced materially above such plate. The consequent difference in depth of indentations I and II clearly appears in Fig. 9.

A considerable permanency of the indentations, produced as described in the cloth 5, may be achieved by steaming the cloth while under indenting pressure of the weights. Fig. 10 shows how the applied design may also be given permanency by applying stitches I2 to interconnect the four adjacent points of each indentation I0, following removal of the weights 4 from the grid.

It is a vital feature of the described invention that each of the weights 8 and 9 is an independent unit, individually applicable to the grid. Thus the material requisite for each indentation of the cloth may draw freely into place as the corresponding weight is applied, in a manner not feasible in attempting to apply weights in a gang or assembly form. Thus production of the indentations entails no material stretching or distortion of the cloth but a simple shaping thereof, without risk of damaging the material. It is preferred first to apply the heavier weights, progressing from an edge or some other line of the cloth, the lighter weights then being applied and taking up slack between the indentations resulting from the heavier weights.

The described apparatus is well suited to ornamentally fashion silk or satin for use in funeral caskets, the ornamental form produced being desirable, however, for various purposes.

The described apparatus is most commonly used in ornamentally shaping silk, satin or like fabrics having slight natural stiffness. A preferred provision for reinforcing the shaped fabric and resisting collapse of its described indentations, consists in adhesively or otherwise securing a relatively strong backing fabric I3, to the nonindented portions of the fabric 5, prior to removal thereof from the grid I, 2. This may be done immediately after removal of the several weights from the grid, by adhesively coating a face of the fabric I3 and then pressing such face down on the fabric 5, where seated on the top faces of the bars I and 2. It will be understood that the fabric as shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 is reversed, top for bottom, from the position it assumes during formation of the indentations. The term openings in following claims includes such openings as extend from top to bottom of the grid and also those that may extend only partially through the grid.

What I claim is:

l. A device for ornamentally shaping cloth, comprising a grid formed with a set of openings having substantially the same shape and size and arranged in a regular pattern, and formed with another set of smaller openings dissimilar in shape to the larger openings and arranged between the larger openings in a regular pattern, a set of separate weights shaped and proportioned to loosely fit into the larger openings for indenting portions of a cloth sheet into such openings, and a set of relatively heavy separate weights shaped and proportioned to loosely t into the smaller openings for indenting the cloth more deeply into such openings than it is indented in the larger openings.

2. In a device for ornamentally shaping cloth as set forth in claim 1, a baseplate surmounted by said grid, and means rigidly securing the grid to the baseplate.

3. A device for ornamentally shapingv cloth as- 0 Number set forth in claim 1, the larger openings forming rectangles and the smaller openings being centered substantially at the intersections of lines diagonal to the rectangular openings.

4. A device for ornamentally shaping cloth, comprising a grid formed by intersecting bars and having between such bars a plurality of openings of substantially the same shape and size, said bars at their intersections being formed with openings of substantially the same size and shape but of lesser area than the openings between the bars, a set of separate weights shaped and proportioned to loosely t into the larger openings for indenting portions of a cloth sheet into such openings, and a set of relatively heavy separate weights shaped and proportioned to loosely t into the smaller openings for indenting the cloth more deeply into such openings than it is indented into the larger openings.

5. A device for ornamentally shaping cloth, comprising a grid formed by two relatively transverse sets of bars, the bars of each set being spaced apart producing substantially rectangular openings between the bars, the two sets of bars jointly forming cross-shaped openings at their intersections, a set of separate weights shaped and proportioned to loosely fit into the rectangular openings, and a set of separate weights shaped and proportioned to loosely fit into the crossshaped openings, said sets of weights indenting portions of a cloth sheet into the openings receiving such weights.

6. A device for ornamentally shaping cloth as set forth in claim 5, the Weights of one of said sets being materially heavier than those of the other to more deeply indent the cloth than the weights of the other set.

'7. A device for ornamentally shaping cloth, comprising a grid formed with a set of openings having substantially the same shape and size and arranged in a regular pattern, a set of separate weights shaped and proportioned to loosely t into said openings for indenting portions of a cloth sheet into such openings, each of said Weights being formed with a central upstanding shank, facilitating handling of the weights.

8. A device for ornamentally shaping cloth, comprising a grid formed by intersecting bars and having between such bars a set of openings of substantially the same shape and size, said bars being formed between said openings with a set of openings of a like shape differentiated from the shape of the rst mentioned openings, a set of separate weights shaped and proportioned to loosely t into the first mentioned openings for indenting portions of a cloth sheet into such openings, and a set of relatively heavy separate weights shaped and proportioned to loosely t into the second mentioned openings for indenting the cloth more deeply into such openings than it is indented into the first mentioned openings.

CHARLES G. BORCHARD..

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the, ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 

